Naoya Inoue has revealed his honest thoughts on Junto Nakatani, having shared 12 rounds of incredible focus and tension with the three-division world champion.

The pair squared off at a sold-out Tokyo Dome yesterday, headlining the most-attended Japanese boxing event in history as they collided in front of around 55,000 spectators.

Inoue, a sizable pre-fight favourite, was making the seventh defence of his undisputed super-bantamweight crown after amassing four victories last year.

Nakatani, on the other hand, was coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December, attempting to dethrone ‘The Monster’ in only his second outing at 122lbs.

It would have been an astounding achievement if he managed to do so, but the 28-year-old ultimately lost a unanimous decision to the generational great.

After banking the early rounds, Inoue encountered a spell of adversity as Nakatani came on strong, especially in the 10th frame, and looked as if he was gathering serious momentum.

Inoue, however, responded with the qualities of a true champion and managed to solidify his victory in the final six minutes.

In a typically respectful manner, the 33-year-old hailed Nakatani’s mental strength during his post-fight press conference, while also predicting that his countryman will become a four-weight world champion.

“He’s a mentally strong fighter, and I think he’s definitely a fighter who will become a champion in the super-bantamweight division.”

🗣️ “I AM RELIEVED”😅

Naoya Inoue reacts to defeating Junto Nakatani in the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history at the Tokyo Dome!🔥🇯🇵

Thoughts?🤔#InoueNakatanipic.twitter.com/joWShulYjv

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) May 2, 2026

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If he chooses to remain at 122lbs, then Nakatani may be compelled to wait longer than expected for another world title shot.

This is because early talks have begun for Inoue to defend his belts against Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodruguez, the unified super-flyweight champion, in January.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney was left red-faced on Match of the Day after host Gabby Logan made a cheeky joke about his hair during a debate about hair-pulling red cards in the Premier League

Gabby Logan delivered a savage quip about Wayne Rooney’s hair during Saturday night’s episode of Match of the Day. BBC pundit Rooney was analysing Dan Ballard’s dismissal during Sunderland’s 1-1 stalemate with Wolves on Saturday.

Ballard was issued a red card in the opening period at Molineux after referee Paul Tierney reviewed the incident involving Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare on the pitch-side monitor. Sunderland defender Ballard was deemed to have pulled his opponent’s hair, which was classified as violent conduct.

The decision proved pivotal in the match as the Black Cats were forced to play the majority of it with 10 men, before eventually conceding and drawing 1-1. It sparked a discussion on Match of the Day about how the regulations surrounding hair pulling are being enforced and whether the action should automatically be considered violent conduct.

Taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to the discussion, Manchester United legend Rooney remarked with a mischievous grin: “That’s why I didn’t grow a ponytail when I was playing,” before laughing

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Logan, seizing the moment, responded: “And that’s not the only reason, let’s be honest,” leaving pundit Joe Hart in fits of laughter. The presenter and Rooney were both alluding to the fact the former striker wore shaved or thinning hair for virtually the entirety of his career and probably couldn’t grow his hair long in the same fashion.

Turning to the more pressing matter at hand, Rooney expressed his disbelief at the harshness with which hair-pulling incidents have been dealt with in the Premier League this season. He said: “I just can’t believe I’m sitting on Match of the Day talking about players getting sent off for pulling hair.

“I think it’s ridiculous. I think if that’s the rule, the rule has to change because it’s getting absolutely ridiculous.

“When you are playing, it is a physical game and you do grab on to the shirt, you are trying to get an upper hand on your opponent. And sometimes if there’s a big flock of hair, then you’re going to grab it at some point.”

Logan highlighted the absence of clarity within the existing framework. She said: “Because there is a grey area. There has to be some nuance. And of course, at the moment, it sits in violent conduct. And there will be some which are violent, but not all.”

Hart added: “I’ve seen a lot more violent things happen this weekend and none of them punished for it.”

Ballard became the third player this season to receive his marching orders for hair pulling. Arokodare was also on the receiving end of a hair pull by Michael Keane in January, while Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez was shown a red card for a similar offence involving Dominic Calvert-Lewin the previous month.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

David Benavidez delivered the performance of his career so far this weekend in Las Vegas, moving up significantly in weight to become the first man to stop Gilberto Ramirez.

Benavidez competed just twice at light-heavyweight before signing this unified cruiserweight title fight against ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, known for his durability and grit.

Despite packing on over 20lbs from his last contest, the 29-year-old star retained his hand speed and destructive style to drop Ramirez twice on his way to a sixth-round stoppage, becoming a three-weight champion in the process and climbing the pound-for-pound rankings.

Speaking on X after watching the fight, four-division champion Shakur Stevenson praised Benavidez and backed a fight against Dmitry Bivol next.

“Benavidez is everything he say he is, much respect to him and his craft. I would love to see Bivol get back healthy 100 percent and make that fight.”

Benavidez wants the fight too, naming the Russian number one on his hit list. According to promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents Bivol, early discussions have taken place and both parties are interested in moving forward.

There is, however, one stumbling block in the form of Artur Beterbiev. Hearn pointed out that there is a ‘loose agreement’ for a trilogy with Beterbiev, who beat Bivol in their first meeting before losing the rematch, which will take precedence if called for.

Holding three belts over two divisions, Benavidez will not be short of options, thought he will soon have to decide which weight he wants to fight at next.

Kimi Antonelli in action.© AFP

One of the more fun articles from VikingsTerritory each year after the draft, we present the possible breakout players for the 2026 Minnesota Vikings. The draft is over; so is free agency. Let’s look at the men with opportunities to bust out into stardom.

Minnesota’s roster has improved, which means a few holdovers are running out of excuses.

Annual reminder: rookies are not included in this article because, of course, rookies have their first chance to emerge in Year No. 1.

The Pressure Has Shifted to Minnesota’s Recent Investments

The players below are ranked ascendingly (No. 1 = most likely to break out).

4. Tai Felton (WR)

No, Felton didn’t play much on offense as a rookie. Yes, he’s the WR3 by default right now.

There’s a chance the Vikings drafted Felton in 2025, planned for a full redshirt year as a rookie, and are ready for him to erupt in 2026. Of course, those are best-laid plans, but they must be mentioned for full disclosure. If any other team in the NFL had drafted a Round 3 wide receiver and let the existing WR3 walk in free agency (Jalen Nailor), that team’s fan base would just assume the 3rd-Rounder was on deck for the job.

But Felton was a pick by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, so onlookers don’t know if he fundamentally stinks or is just taking a while to develop.

Perhaps Vikings fans have not shown enough patience with Felton. The time is now for him to seize the WR3 by the neck.

The Viking Age‘s Nik Edlund on Felton: “The Vikings recently met with free-agent wide receiver Juaun Jennings, and signing him would likely eliminate Felton from having any chance at WR3, but if they were to draft a receiver, his career in Minnesota would’ve been over.”

“Like him or hate him, Felton was a big-time reach by former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was projected as a mid to late Day 3 pick, and Minnesota traded down a few times and ended up taking him with the last pick of the third round.”

If Felton does emerge, he certainly has the speed for the job: 4.37 at the 2025 NFL Combine.

Edlund added, “Felton rewarded them with that risk by looking so far from contributing in camp that the team felt they had to go out and waste a fourth-round pick to get a local hero who was washed in Adam Thielen.”

“With the lack of a draft pick at the position, Felton’s spot on the depth chart is likely safe for at least one more year. So now he can still call himself an NFL player for one more season.”

3. Bo Richter (OLB)

Before the draft, Minnesota arguably had one of the NFL’s deepest OLB rooms. That changed after the Jonathan Greenard trade to the Philadelphia Eagles. Folks are left wondering if the Vikings will sign a veteran, such as Jadeveon Clowney, for the OLB3 spot — or just roll with in-house contributors.

If the solution already lives on the roster, Richter is the next man up. Like the Felton example, the Vikings may already know that Richter is an undercover baller ready to make the most of his opportunity.

2. Jay Ward (S)

Ward quietly yanked Theo Jackson’s job away late in 2025, electrifying fans with gritty and aggressive safety performance. He has one year left on his contract, and if he wants an extension, the time is now for Ward to take the next step.

For his sake, the path to playing time may already be clear with Harrison Smith not on the current roster. Smith’s full-time safety snaps must go somewhere, and the Vikings did not draft Dillon Thieneman or Emmanuel McNeil-Warren last week. The entire NFL mock draft community expected Minnesota to pick Thieneman. Minnesota did not.

Therefore, the fallback plan is a guy like Ward or a newcomer, such as 3rd-Round safety Jakobe Thomas from Miami.

If you want Ward to receive more playing time, he’s not far from that assignment.

1. Dallas Turner (OLB)

The trade of Greenard to Philadelphia altered Turner’s outlook. A lot.

Minnesota sent the veteran outside linebacker to the Eagles for two 3rd-Round picks, effectively clearing the path for Turner to start in 2026. While Turner saw decent playing time late in 2025 with Greenard sidelined, the trade now gives him a permanent starting role to Turner rather than just a fill-in opportunity.

For two seasons, Brian Flores struggled to find a consistent full-time spot for Turner, the Vikings’ 2024 first-round pick. With Greenard’s departure, that challenge is now addressed.

Come September 2026, Minnesota will finally see whether Adofo-Mensah’s significant trade investment in drafting Turner proves worthwhile.

Joel Embiid’s return to the No. 7-seeded Philadelphia Sixers helped spark an impressive first-round win over the No. 2 Boston Celtics in the NBA Playoffs.

Now, the former NBA MVP is asking Sixers fans to make sure they don’t sell tickets to fans of their next opponent: the New York Knicks.

The Knicks, led by All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, walloped the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of their series, collecting a record 51-point win on the road to move on to the next round. They were watching Game 7 closely between the Sixers and Celtics, and Philadelphia brought the comeback to fruition, with Embiid scoring a game-high 34 points in the victory.

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Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Game 7 against the Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on May 2, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

It was quite the rally for the Sixers, coming back from a 3-1 hole. But they now face a familiar playoff foe, and Embiid implored fans to make sure they’re in the seats and not those just a trip down the New Jersey Turnpike.

“I just have a message for our fans,” Embiid said after the Sixers won Game 7, per ESPN. “Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philadelphia] was Madison Square Garden East. We’re going to need the support.

76ERS’ JOEL EMBIID FACES ‘FLOPPING’ ACCUSATIONS AFTER PHILLY’S GAME 7 WIN OVER CELTICS

“Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.”

Tickets became a talking point during the teams’ 2024 matchup, when Sixers ownership tried to block Knicks fans from buying tickets at their arena for Game 6, where Philadelphia needed to win to move on. The Knicks ended up clinching the series on the road.

At the time, Embiid shared a similar message, admitting “it kind of pisses me off” that Sixers fans were outnumbered by the Knicks.

“There’s going to be people who will sell the tickets because they need the money. Don’t do it, we need you guys,” Joel Embiid told Sixers fans. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

“Philly is considered a sports town,” he added.

It’s no secret Knicks fans travel, especially if the road city is as close as it is to Philadelphia. It’s expected they’ll try to flood Xfinity Mobile Arena this time around, too.

“There’s going to be people who will sell the tickets because they need the money. Don’t do it, we need you guys,” Embiid reiterated. “We need the support, and we need them to be extremely loud. If you need money, I’ve got you.”

Joel Embiid of the 76ers reacts during Game 6 against the Boston Celtics at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on April 30, 2026. (Elsa/Getty Images)

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Embiid and the Sixers will see if fans were listening in Game 3 of the next series, as the Knicks, the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, will host them at Madison Square Garden for Games 1 and 2, beginning Monday. Game 3 is set for Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Embiid averaged 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the final four games of the series after missing the first three due to an appendectomy.

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Punjab Kings’ Skipper Shreyas Iyer (ANI Photo)

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remained calm and reflective after his side slipped to consecutive defeats, insisting that the team is still in a strong position despite the setback.Speaking after the loss to Gujarat Titans, Iyer felt that 163 was a competitive total given the nature of the pitch. He pointed out that the surface had assistance for bowlers early on and credited the opposition for exploiting it better. “I personally feel it was a great score on a wicket where the ball was doing a bit at the start… their bowlers made the best use of the surface,” he said.PBKS were rocked early, losing four wickets inside the powerplay, but a recovery led by Suryansh Shedge helped them post a fighting total. Iyer acknowledged that effort. “To get to 160 from there was a phenomenal effort,” he noted, while also admitting that his bowlers could not replicate the same control with the new ball.He highlighted execution as the key difference, especially on a pitch with variable bounce where stroke-making was not easy. “Hitting over midwicket or playing the pull wasn’t easy… in terms of execution we fell a bit short,” Iyer explained.Despite the loss, the PBKS skipper was quick to emphasise the positives, particularly the team’s attitude and resilience. “The way we fought till the end, kudos to the efforts. The attitude and approach was excellent,” he said.Importantly, Iyer reminded that Punjab Kings still sit at the top of the table. “We’re still on top of the table which is what matters. We’ll take positives from this game,” he added, underlining the importance of staying grounded.Looking ahead, Iyer sounded optimistic about bouncing back in the next fixture. He stressed the importance of preparation and mindset, saying the team has been putting in the work behind the scenes. “If the character is high and attitude is right, you’ll get results eventually… just got to stick to our basics and not think too much ahead.”With the playoff race tightening, PBKS may have stumbled briefly, but their captain’s message is clear — stay composed, trust the process, and results will follow.

Nearly one week after the completion of the 2026 NFL Draft, defensive tackle Zxavian Harris was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie. Harris was widely expected to be a Day 2 draft choice or early Day 3 at worst. The fact that he went unsigned for almost a week was an even bigger surprise than him sliding out of the draft altogether.

Problems off the field likely caused teams to bypass Harris in the draft. He’s been involved in several legal issues, including a 2023 arrest for driving under the influence and felony fleeing of a scene in addition to a 2024 arrest for domestic violence and obstruction charges. Additionally, Harris also had foot surgery after this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. Legal issues aside, there’s little doubting that the Saints have a talented player if his troubles are behind him.

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Zxavian Harris bio

• Position: Defensive tackle

Strengths

• Rare combination of power and burst

• Good bull-rush to collapse pass pockets

• Immediate recovery when knocked off balance

• Versatility to play multiple fronts

• Powerful punch into blockers

Weaknesses

▪︎ Multiple arrests (likely pushed him out of draft)▪︎ Foot surgery after Scouting Combine▪︎ Conditioning questions▪︎ Must improve footwork and agility▪︎ Needs to improve balance and body control for leverage▪︎ Counter pass rush moves must be developed

Risk vs. Reward?

There is certainly a risk involved when adding a player with such off-field difficulties. Without getting into the specific legalities of Harris and his arrests, there is no doubt that he must show better judgement if he is to have an NFL career. The Saints have been down this road recently. In 2019, then-Wyoming defensive end Carl Granderson was viewed as a probable Day 2 draft choice. However, Granderson was sentenced to a six-month jail sentence as a plea to charges of sexual battery and unwanted contact. As a result, Granderson fell completely out of the draft and was signed by New Orleans as an undrafted rookie. Granderson wasn’t eligible to play until midway through his 2019 rookie season. Since then, he’s been trouble-free and has become an important part of the Saints edge rotation. Obviously, New Orleans hopes to get the same results and production from Zxavian Harris.

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Harris has certainly proven himself to be a capable talent. He’s a disruptive defender against the run and as a pass rusher who is a matchup nightmare for blockers. During the Ole Miss run to the CFP semifinals, he contributed 58 tackles, 9 stops for loss, 3 sacks, and an interception. Harris also comes up big on special teams, where he blocked six kicks during his Rebels career.

On the field, Harris also has some things to clean up. Firstly, he’ll need to work on his conditioning to be a potential every down force. His footwork and overall body control also must improve. However, Zxavian Harris has tremendous upside with his freakish combination of size, length, power, and burst to the ball. He also brings the ability to be effective in multiple positions across a defensive line.

New Orleans got stronger up the middle with the drafting of second round pick Christen Miller out of Georgia. With any luck, SEC opponent Zxavian Harris will be able to increase that interior upgrade and develop into what Carl Granderson has on the outside for the Saints. Harris has the talent and found a team willing to take the chance that his off-field problems are in the past. The rest is now up to Harris.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: What Saints are getting in undrafted Mississippi DT Zxavian Harris